Buckeyes Rally Against Albany, 87-62 – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov 20, 2001%^$
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By ANDY RESNIK
Associated Press Writer%^$
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Zach Williams scored a career-high 24 points and Ohio%^$State used a 23-0 second-half run to overcome a miserable start and beat Albany%^$87-62 Tuesday night.%^$
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The Buckeyes (2-0) committed 12 turnovers – to just seven assists – in the%^$first half and didn’t defend Albany’s hot-shooting guards to fall behind 41-34%^$at halftime.%^$
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Ohio State turned up the defensive pressure in the second half and rallied%^$when Albany (0-2) finally cooled off. The Great Danes went scoreless for nearly%^$10 minutes as the Buckeyes turned a 48-44 deficit into a 67-48 lead with 6:33%^$to play.%^$
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Williams scored eight points in the surge, including a layup that put Ohio%^$State ahead 50-48, its first lead since 8-7.%^$
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Brent Darby put up nine of his 15 points during the run. Brian Brown added%^$22 points and Boban Savovic 10 for the Buckeyes, who won their first-ever%^$meeting against the Great Danes.%^$
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Williams hit on a variety of layups, short jumpers and hooks to pass his%^$previous high of 19 points last December against Robert Morris.%^$
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Albany used the sharp-shooting of E.J. Gallup, who scored 23 points, and the%^$quickness of Earv Opong to build a first-half lead, but could get nothing going%^$after halftime.%^$
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The Great Danes turned the ball over 19 times in the second half, made just%^$8-of-22 field goals and had only one assist.%^$
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It was the exact opposite of the first half, when the Great Danes made%^$17-of-26 shots and led by as many as seven points four times.%^$
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Gallup scored 18 points and hit 4-of-5 3-pointers in the first half, and%^$Opong – a 5-foot-7 spark plug – constantly eluded Brown and Darby to post six%^$points and five assists.%^$
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The Buckeyes clamped down on both players in the second half. Gallup hit%^$only 2-of-8 shots in the second half – after a 6-of-8 first half – and Opong%^$didn’t have an assist. He finished with 11 points.
